Just saw the post about insulating a roof on a barn.
AND - it made me send this in about the actual experience/knowledge/ideas of everyone who's ever:

Built one.
Had one built.
Or even LOOKING to have one built as I am.

I've been SCOURING the internet for a few weeks now with no REAL good information found. The only things usually found are pictures of buildings "the particular company" built and ONLY from the outside. Maybe a few color chips, etc.

Looking for ANY and ALL SUGGESTIONS!!!

1) Am planning on mostly using this for storage and a place to work on bikes, cars, tractor, etc. Would like to eventually have an automotive lift of some sort in there.
2) Would possibly like to build tall enough to put a storage area or "LOFT" on a second level.DEFINITE concrete floor.
3) MAYBE some windows(?) and a second garage door at opposite end.

SO I'm ASKING for exactly what YOU did when you built yours? Including even the basic materials - poles-steel-doors,windows, etc.
WHAT would you NOT do again?
WHAT have you seen that you would've liked to do but didn't think of or didn't have the $$$?
SEEN any GOOD sites to actually build it on the computer?
ALSO who built yours - recommended, NOT recommended?

WHAT ELSE AM I MISSING???

Looking to get something built by the end of next summer - DEPENDING??? There are a lot of fellas with firsthand knowledge on this subject - maybe even a builder(?) - and I sure would like to use some of your EXPERTISE to help someone like me with very limited brain power!

You can pm me IF you'd rather not answer here - BUT - I've searched this site and MAYBE we can start a SUPER "POLE BARN" thread.

1)1st was built in a gully by PO that became a river every spring. nice big 30x40 bran shitty location..lesson learned check out your area well

2) I built one my self at current house 20x40 with overhangs on both side to park stuff under... lesson learned build it bigger ( you will have more $$ latter) I poured the floor ( nonweight bearing latter, that way is an ag building per local building code) I pulled a permit when I wired it and they never asked about the building ( ag)

make it wider / bigger 20 may be 2 car garage with but not wide enough when you are working on vehicle project to park another vehicle

Check out Morton Buildings. They have a good line of designs and a "pole" barn is easier to finish out inside since all the structure is wood and easier to attach the interior onto when you decide to finish it out. Several friends of mine have made hangar homes from the Morton buildings with the aircraft below and the living quarters above. Very nice!!!

+1 on thinking about your size since it will fill up pretty quick. I built a 3,575 sq ft pre-engineered metal building (fully insulated) and I really like it although I had to erect standard studs inside when I built the office, kitchen and bathroom inside. Otherwise it cost 27K for the building and 8K for the concrete. I did the wiring, plumbing and 16x28 apartment construction inside. I will try to post a picture tomorrow.

2) I built one my self at current house 20x40 with overhangs on both side to park stuff under... lesson learned build it bigger ( you will have more $$ latter) I poured the floor ( nonweight bearing latter, that way is an ag building per local building code) I pulled a permit when I wired it and they never asked about the building ( ag)

make it wider / bigger 20 may be 2 car garage with but not wide enough when you are working on vehicle project to park another vehicle

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I'm LIMITED to 2400sq. ft because of "codes" where I live BUT there is NO limit on building it taller.....

Check out Morton Buildings. They have a good line of designs and a "pole" barn is easier to finish out inside since all the structure is wood and easier to attach the interior onto when you decide to finish it out. Several friends of mine have made hangar homes from the Morton buildings with the aircraft below and the living quarters above. Very nice!!!

+1 on thinking about your size since it will fill up pretty quick. I built a 3,575 sq ft pre-engineered metal building (fully insulated) and I really like it although I had to erect standard studs inside when I built the office, kitchen and bathroom inside. Otherwise it cost 27K for the building and 8K for the concrete. I did the wiring, plumbing and 16x28 apartment construction inside. I will try to post a picture tomorrow.

Try Lowe's or Home Depot or Barnes and Noble. Check the book sections at the big box stores. You can stand there and browse through it and toss it back on the rack if you aren't happy with the info in it. Better than ordering it and being disappointed and having to ship it back if you do it.

# 1 would be whomever you pick to build it, make sure you go and see a few of their recent buildings and talk to the owners of the building.

#2 would be to make sure they know how to pour concrete if they are doing it. On mine all they did was put in metal strips in between the 3 stalls and there are cracks running all different directions. It needs to be done right: slots cut in the concrete every so often so it cracks at the bottom of the slots. Mine also is not even close to level. The slab they poured out in the front of one bay doesn't have any fall to it so the water runs back into the shop. They came back and glued down rubber threshholds to stop that and put them on backwards so the water that ran down the overhead doors ran into the shop.

I told them I wanted 8' high doors and after it was built they had to install special low clearance doors because they didn't build the thing tall enough.

The roof leaked at the peak in one section because the roof panels were cut too short and didn't protrude far enough under the crown piece.

The only other thing I can think of that I actually did right was to have a piece of big conduit in place before they poured the concrete so I could get the underground wires into the shop for the interior wiring.

I would also bury some big metal pipe with a flat plate that had threaded holes into the floor before they poured concrete to mount a tire changer, tube bender, etc.

Good luck and make sure you have everything down in writing that you want done.

I modeled mine using google sketchup. Sent this picture around to a few mfgs to get some quotes. After I started hearing back from them, I'd search google and BBB for bad reviews. Some of these mfgs are crooks!

<a href="http://s643.photobucket.com/albums/uu153/tatersworld/?action=view&amp;current=DSC_0022.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i643.photobucket.com/albums/uu153/tatersworld/DSC_0022.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Had the slab poured my a mason I'd used in the past, I knew it would be flat and the bolts set to print.

Wife and I slaved most of last summer and bolted it together. First time I've worked with steel. Pretty easy. The wainscot was a lot of extra work, but worth it. Same with the insulation and the three skylights. PITA, but I am glad I added those options.
I spend most my time working under the lean-to. Keeps all the sawdust, grinding sparks outside!

30x60 with 15' lean-to. 12' at the eaves, 15' at the inside peak, tall enough inside for a carlift. 8', 10' and 12' overhead rollup doors. I could have left out a couple windows, but I am glad I have three panels of skylights on the south facing roof. Usually dont even turn on a light until after dusk. Bought mine from Renegade Buildings. Many of these companies are just designers and salesmen. The heavy architecture work is done by the steel mill. I had contacted 3 companies, all of them were coming from the same exact mill.

I modeled mine using google sketchup. Sent this picture around to a few mfgs to get some quotes. After I started hearing back from them, I'd search google and BBB for bad reviews. Some of these mfgs are crooks!

Had the slab poured my a mason I'd used in the past, I knew it would be flat and the bolts set to print.

Wife and I slaved most of last summer and bolted it together. First time I've worked with steel. Pretty easy. The wainscot was a lot of extra work, but worth it. Same with the insulation and the three skylights. PITA, but I am glad I added those options.
I spend most my time working under the lean-to. Keeps all the sawdust, grinding sparks outside!

30x60 with 15' lean-to. 12' at the eaves, 15' at the inside peak, tall enough inside for a carlift. 8', 10' and 12' overhead rollup doors. I could have left out a couple windows, but I am glad I have three panels of skylights on the south facing roof. Usually dont even turn on a light until after dusk. Bought mine from Renegade Buildings. Many of these companies are just designers and salesmen. The heavy architecture work is done by the steel mill. I had contacted 3 companies, all of them were coming from the same exact mill.

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That's a BEAUTY!

What kind of $$$ price difference is building a "REAL STEEL" building as opposed to a wooden Pole Barn?

"kit" was $22,000, delivered. I gave a neighbor $100 to unload it with his forklift. I added 5 windows from Lowes ($250) and cement floor, 5.5"thick with fiber reinforcement ($6500). I had the local HS electric shop class wire it ($800), outlets and T8 lights everywhere and a few 220v outlets for the welders.

The wainscot was optional as was the corner trim, 12" overhangs, and gutters/downspouts.

I asked a few local companies to quote a traditional lumber and tin polebarn to similar specs. Most were $40,000 or more, turn key. Cement slab was 4" contractor grade. I just couldn't justify that much money for some of the crap workmanship I saw. Saying that, I have seen Morton buildings that were beautiful, I'd get one of those if I hadn't gone steel.

We did the labor ourselves and I ended up with a much nicer building. It took us about 2.5 months of evenings and weekends, just me and my Wife. Used a small frontend loader and a scaffold I bought on Craigslist.
I'd build another, I learned a lot of tricks that would make the next one easier. Wife says NO WAY!!! ( My Dad is considering one next year)

In addition to checking out buildings they've put up ask about the crew you'll be getting. Most outfits have multiple crews and if you get the dregs your building will show. I gave my crew beer and grilled lunch for them a couple of times and was treated really well. (Ragland)

What would I do differently?

More windows, better layout, and I would've run the plumbing in the slab to allow me to heat it (radiant ) at a later date. I would've also put in an oil change pit to let me stand vertical under car.

I suggest a "BETTER" web search is in order as there are plenty of plans out there. Also lots of truss designs,etc.. Fact that you are dealing with codes on size dictates what? That needs a hard look. In my area there are no codes(elec inspec & some plumbing which varies with property size) & that's a two edged sword as it gets you some nasty people turned loose & some comfort to do what fits your needs & budget. Perhaps you can look at a pole barn built with treated frame & metal, option of few rounds of blocks at bottom of walls or not or look at blocks all the way rather than pole bldg.
My out bldgs are all treated frames with sawmill rough board & batten walls but I have a mill & own land with timber too. I built my trusses on one bldg , bought them for another. Blocks would be my 1st choice for you w/o knowing all your details but you're having said "a lift someday". Blocks are almost zero maintenance plus cheap & you live in tornado land so better in that way.
The end use has some say in whats best such as auto body painting vs. whatever? You have opened a large area that can be answered in part by more web looking. The plans are there for pole bldgs..Go actually look at existing bldgs & talk to those that build/
built them. Can you build it all?

i built a 32' x 80' x 10' (i'm sitting in it now..) by myself with some help from friends 5-6 years ago. i cut lotsa corners, and built it cheap (like under 22k with concrete..try doing that...). there are some things i'd do different. the only labor i paid for was concrete finishing, and site leveling. i rented a bobcat to do the post drilling, and a lift to install the truss. everything else i did with what i had. most of the time i worked alone and worked long hours to get it done. there are a couple of jobs you cannot do yourself (installing trusses and roofing) you can feasibly do everything with 1 person. it takes a long time alone. 2 people can do the job 3 times faster.

if i built another i'd probably just have someone do it. the crew of 3 that can build a 40x60 in 3 days is amazingly fast. but they do it day in day out and are good at it. it's probably worth the 5k or so they'll make profit to get it done. if you shop around, there are deals out there.

i would have built 40' wide instead of 32. i would have went with 2' overhangs instead of 1'. everything else is stuff you can do after the fact. i also should have went with a taller roll up door.

i bought custom trusses, should have designed the building around pre-made common truss sizes, would have saved more money..this is the onlly thing aside from the concrete that was delivered to the site. everything else i picked up as i needed it.

i bought the steel direct from the manufacturer, i ordered exactly what i needed, and saved a ton of money that way. (i.e. i went to factory and picked it up with a car hauler.) steel is heavy.

once you have the basics up, everything inside is doable alone.

i built it without any plans, and built it on the fly. it all worked out, but i spent a lot of time planning stuff out. once them poles are in the ground, it's awfully difficult to move them. there are lotsa plans available online. i started out in college for architecture so i already had a good basis for how things worked...

i built an insulated office/heated space that's 24'x32'x8' internal. if i did it again i would have planned for passive solar heating, as i have to tear a bunch of shit apart to install it in the future.... i probably should have planned for radiant floor, but i was on a tight budget.

i have no windows, (i do have windows on the inside office to look out at the storage part of the building)... and just a 36"' man door and a rollup. i saw no need for more. and have not ever thought about adding any...windows add security and privacy issues, so i never put any in. i do have video surveillance/recording so i can see what's going on outside if i want to look...

i still have things to do to it externally, just never got around to trimming it out completely, etc.. a couple days of labor and i could finish it, but i'd rather be riding/racing then fucking with it. i'm rural so i got no "appearances" to keep up :)

the rent i saved in a year (or less) paid for the building. i sold a few decent dollar bikes to pay for the initial cost of the building

I work for the Home Builders Institute and teach at the local Job Corps...I really enjoy seeing folks do their own builds. Especially when it involves students. We do a lot of builds here and have worked out deals where my students are made available to the community to assist. Puts a little bit of money in the students pocket and the experience they gain is priceless! Check Habitat for Humanity for overstock sales...sometimes we get too many windows...doors...etc.
My point...utilize the local schools...it will benefit everyone!! Cheers folks!
Keep building!

I don't have room for one but I daydream constantly about the day when I can build one. My dreams:

Overhead doors at each end= pull the boat in after a day of fishing and leave it hooked to the truck to prep for the next day and just drive straight out. I would also have 8' fluorescent fixtures on reel arrangement so I could lower the fixture closer over the top of the boat,

Plant air= wire the building for 480 so when the funds became available I could get a 25-35 hp compressor. Build a kick out on the outside of the building to house the compressor so you don't have to listen to it run. Run a main 6" steel header down the center of the building with taps every 10' to run drops where you need them with 1" poly tubing ( can't remember what it's called but similar to PEX but designed for air. The oversized header will help you deal with head loss of the length of the run so you'll be able to run high demand tools far away from the compressor.

Gantry cranes= two of them running parallel to each axis of the building.

Car lift= a grease pit as mentioned earlier is a cool old school idea. However, put the lift in and area where you have overhead room and when the day of that dream hot rod (fill in the blank of dream toy car) comes and you can store it on the lift, overhead and out of the way.

Bike lift= recessed in the floor

Real concrete floor= six inch thick 8,000 lb mix with wire mesh and fiber, will not cost that much more than four inch crap. Proof roll the base to minimize heave, augment the base if needed. Run radiant only in the areas where you'll have an office or be standing for long periods.

These are just some of my "if I could only" wishes, maybe someday. Good luck